Passing and catching a ball is an activity that is performed by people of all ages for amusement or enjoyment. Many different sports require that this simple yet basic skill be mastered before participants can effectively compete against each other. Typically, a group of people or athletes will get together and form a practice session or pick-up game to hone their skills in the particular sport or activity they are participating in. Many times, however, it may be difficult to find a partner to practice passing or catching a ball.
As such, a number of devices have been developed to allow an individual or athlete to practice passing, throwing, pitching, kicking, hitting and catching a ball by one's self. Some of these devices provide a vertical surface where the individual or athlete can throw or pass a ball at. The vertical rebound surface typically functions as a backstop and, in some cases, is capable of returning the ball at least a portion of the distance back to the user. In other cases, the elastic nature of the ball may contribute or allow the ball to be returned at least a portion of the distance back to the individual.
These devices are designed to accommodate a somewhat horizontal movement of the ball through the air and rarely return the ball back to the user with enough force to allow the users to practice their catching and reaction skills related to the specific sport or activity at hand.